MWO J.G.P. Ferlatte, CD

After more than 37 years of loyal and dedicated service to Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Canadian Military Engineer Branch, MWO Jean-Guy Ferlatte, CD, will retire 30 Jun 2019. A Depart with Dignity Ceremony will take place at the Sgts and WOs Mess (A4 Annex) in Oromocto, on 17 1200 May 2019. Attendees are requested to advise the OPI of their planned attendance NLT 10 May, 2019. Anecdotes or retirement wishes may be sent to the OPI by e-mail.

After 37+ years of dedicated service to the Air Force, Signals and Engineering Branches, Master Warrant Officer Jean-Guy Ferlatte will be retiring from the Canadian Armed Forces on 30 June 2019.

MWO Jean-Guy Ferlatte was born in Dalhousie, NB in 1962 and was raised on the north shore of NB. Upon graduation in 1980, he joined the military to become a pilot. After completion of BOTC in Chilliwack, BC, in Dec 1980, he was off to 435 Hercules Sqn in Edmonton to await pilot training. In Jan 1982, it was off to chilly Portage la Prairie where he commenced flying. When it was discovered he did not have ‘the right stuff”, he released with the intention of re-enlisting the following year.

In 1983, MWO Ferlatte re-entered the military in the Performance Orientated Electronics Training program in Kingston and became a Radio Technician in May 1984. He was posted to CFB Greenwood, where he received an advanced promotion to Cpl, and subsequently was posted to Lahr, Germany in 1988. He was in Support Troop with 129 Air Defence Battery for 4 AD Regt. While there, he had the fortunate opportunity of completing two Nijmegen marches. In 1991, after feeling it was time for a change, he remustered to Refrigeration Mechanical (RM) Technician. When he finished his TQ3 for RM Tech as the top student, he was posted to CFB Ottawa in Sep 1992. It was while there that he participated in an exchange program with American engineers and helped to complete a construction project in Salt Lake City, Utah (with a side trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon; yippee!!) In 1995, as Uplands was closing, he was posted to CFB Shearwater. A year later, CE Shearwater amalgamated with CFB Halifax and he was posted across the harbour. While in Halifax, he completed a tour in Haiti in 1997 and a project at the Canadian Embassy in Bucharest, Romania in 1999. The highlight of this posting was the chance meeting of his wife, Cheryl, while they were on a personal development course.

In 2002, MWO Ferlatte was promoted to MCpl and posted to CFB Borden as the HVAC Shop Supr. He was then promoted to Sgt and posted to CFSME in 2004 as an RM Tech instructor. Over the next six years, he fulfilled many positions such as RM Cell Comd, RM Stds Rep and CE Stds Supr and had been promoted to WO in 2007. While at CFSME, he attended the CE Supt 6B course, where he graduated as the top student and was the recipient of the Robertson Cane.

In 2010, being #1 on the merit list, he was promoted to his current rank and posted to 1 Engineer Support Unit in Moncton, NB. His position at 1 ESU was 2 Specialized Engineering Team (SET) MWO. While there, his highlight was as head of the Engr tactical recce which designed and set up contracts to stand up the admin base of SLOC Det Kuwait. Other positions held at 1 ESU included 15 Sqn Ops MWO and 15 Sqn SSM.

MWO Ferlatte decided upon a component transfer to the Res F in Oct 2013 in order for his family to remain in the Fredericton area instead of taking a posting to Valcartier. He became the Trg O at Tactics School and has been there to the present day.

His wife is MCpl Cheryl Spring (Ret’d) and they have four children, Justin, Matthew, Samantha and Liam. They currently reside in Oromocto, NB. His retirement plans consists of travelling, fishing, hunting, and more travelling.

He would like to express his sincerest gratitude to his friends and colleagues who contributed to making his career and this great chapter in his life, such a wonderful experience.